Young workman stepped back and fell 9m through fragile rooflight

Bespoke Bodies Ltd, a coach fabricator, has appeared in court after an apprentice suffered serious injuries when he fell through the roof on which he was working.

The 25-year-old worker, who has asked not to be named, suffered three fractured ribs and a ruptured spleen as a result of the incident on 14 April 2016.

Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard how he was assisting other employees in cleaning of the valley gutters on the workshop roof when he stepped back onto a fragile skylight and fell some 9m to the floor below. His fall was broken by a table.

Risk unidentified and work unsupervised

HSE investigators found that Bespoke Bodies Ltd had not properly supervised this work at height activity and failed to identify the risks associated with working at height and working on fragile surfaces.

Bespoke Bodies Ltd of Grange Hardwick, Warrington pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 3 (1) (a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3339.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Lianne Farrington said:

“Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work related injuries and the risks with working at height are well known.

Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary instruction and training to their workers.”